0:12Skip to 0 minutes and 12 secondsHello, I'm Professor Kimberly Kinzig, and I'm an Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, in the United States. Purdue University is a major research university with more than 200 majors for undergraduates, over 70 masters and doctoral programs, as well as professional degrees in areas including pharmacy and veterinary medicine. Purdue is well known for its discoveries in science, technology, engineering and more. So our focus here is how our body weight is regulated. Nearly everyone has ideas about the best ways to go about losing weight or maintaining a healthy body weight. But how many of these ideas fit with the science?

0:52Skip to 0 minutes and 52 secondsHow much of what you know about regulating body weight is based on science and not based on what you heard from a friend, what you read online, or maybe what you saw on a television program or a commercial? Maybe, at this point, you don't even believe that body weight is regulated. If so, I hope to change your mind in the coming weeks. To understand how the brain and body work together to help regulate your body weight and control what and when you eat, we will first talk about the environmental influences on when and what you choose to eat. Do you eat more when you're with your friends? Do you eat more when you see fast food ads?

1:26Skip to 1 minute and 26 secondsWhat does the science say about how the environment influences what you eat and the quality of your food? We will then talk about what is going on in your brain and body in response to hunger and satiety cues. Hormones are released from all over your digestive tract when you consume food, and these hormones provide signals to your brain about when you've had enough. How much do these signals matter for people who live in an environment of inexpensive, relatively unlimited tasty foods?

1:53Skip to 1 minute and 53 secondsIn this free three-week course, we will examine some of the major factors that influence what and when we eat, and our overall ability to maintain a relatively stable body weight over time without counting every single calorie you consume or expend. We will look at how the environment and social cues play a role in food choices, discuss the complex and fascinating relationships between hormones in your body and your brain, and talk about genetics and how genes fit into the equation. Again, welcome to the course.